Love Time: A Timely Love
by Dragon Dagger
Summary: Book 1 - A soul bound couple are torn apart by normal circumstances. Abnormal circumstances bring them back together.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In a time long past, and on a plane of existence that is far different from our own there were two people. On this plane of existence there were millions of people, but what made these two special was that they shared a special bond. As they were in love and were well loved by all, they found a way for them to find each other in every life they were born into.

Kindred spirits and immortal souls that they were, there came a time when the soul must make a journey far beyond the boundaries that it has known before. Several hundred years after they were fist met and matched the girl died suddenly of a common disease.

This so shattered her lover that he took his own life not long after burying her and they waited until the circle would start again. As they came into the world they went through their lives thinking that there was something missing in their lives and that they were in some special way, different from everyone else they had met before.

This is the story of what they did to find the truth.

The airport was crowded and stuffy from the heat of the day, and Cye could not help but wonder if it would be worth the risk of missing his flight back to Japan just to get a glass of water. As the lines started moving towards the gate he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally he was going home.

For the past month he had been traveling a bit to meet some friends that he had met over the internet and then visit family that lived in England. Now he was headed back to Japan and was looking forward to seeing the guys again. He had learned through several phone calls to them that they were dealing with a particularly nasty repercussion of taking out Talpa recently, but now it seemed that the warlords and ronin had banded together to stabilize the Dynasty and make it a slightly more productive place.

Mia had been given access to the great libraries of the Castle on her last visit there and so she would be gone for days at a time researching the armors and the original armor that had lead to their creation. Cye had to smile at that, as he knew that it usually took a lot to get her out of a fact-finding mission, especially when it pertained to the Ronin armors.

As he boarded the plane he was bumped into from behind, as he turned to find out who had bumped into him he noticed that a very pretty red headed girl was mumbling a hasty apology in a thick Gaelic accent. He nodded that it was OK and took his seat when he found it.

In truth everything was not fine, as something seemed to click over in his mind after the girl ran into him. He had not felt something like it since he found the Torrent Armor. Now he found himself wanting to get up and find the girl again and actually talk to her. She seemed shy but there was something in her manner that was guarded from the rest of the world and he was about ready to give his right big toe to find out what that was.

Aideen Shehan Talomar was feeling home sick already and the plane had not even left the ground yet. First she was late to the airport and then she was nearly late for her flight because baggage did a seizure on her handbag. Now she was tired from the run and the airport temperature did nothing to help her mood when she had run smack into a guy standing in line to the flight to Japan. Her own flight!

She however felt lucky that she had made the deans list for Foreign exchange students and so after she completed her studies in the Japanese Language and Culture she was given the OK to study in Japan for a year and a half. Generally such student trips had to be funded mostly by the student and the parents with finding a job in the other country to add to the list of things to do to finance their way to living spaces.

Aideen was not of the most affluent families but she was lucky when one of the university junior professors that spoke fluent English agreed to let her board at her house for the time that she would be in the country. Then she would also be able to get to the university she was enrolled in as well. She was happy and sad and now to add to the list of things that she was. She was now utterly confused. Having had her past read she knew of the link that her soul held to another soul in the great wheel, and now the boy she ran into seemed to have an affinity for other people as he was easy going and did not make much bother of the rudeness. However she had this strange feeling that she and he were going to become better acquainted in the future.

As the flight to Japan took off and reached the proper flight level the seatbelt sign came off and people started to get up and retrieve things that would be needed for the long flight. Most got pillows and blankets and others settled in for the in-flight movie.

Aideen just pulled out a manga that she had been enjoying and started reading it. Almost two hours later and most of the way through the manga even though she stumbled over some of the unfamiliar kanji, she felt a pair of eyes just over her shoulder reading the manga as well.

As she turned around her green eyes met with a pair of blue-green eyes and a quiet smile. She jumped in her seat as he chuckled at her and backed off as her eyes flashed dangerously. "What the heck do you think you are doing??" She rattled off forgetting that she had been thinking in Japanese so that was the language she used.

The brown haired young man smiled and took the seat next to her then answered. "I was reading the manga and noticing that you were having some trouble with some of the kanji."

She blushed as she remembered that she had a tendency to try to puzzle things out verbally. "I am sorry if I disturbed you but I do need to try to learn this as well as I can."

Cye nodded and smiled understandingly. "Foreign exchange student?" When he received confirmation he smiled. "The language in itself is fairly simple, the writing however can drive even the natives barmy." As they both laughed over that reference that she had heard before he introduced himself. "I▓m Cye Mouri I am just headed back home from holiday, can▓t wait to see my friends again."

"Well Cye, I am Aideen Shehan Talomar, and I am headed over there for a year and a half study at one of the universities." She grinned back as she found that she could not help but to like this young man. He did not seem that old but some thing in his eyes told her that he was a lot older than he looked.

"Really, well Aideen, since I am headed back to start my next semester at the university maybe my friends took the time to try to catch up with me in classes. I am going to Toyama University. How bout yourself??"

Since Cye was switching between Japanese and English she found herself having a little trouble following him until she became more accustomed to his manner of speaking. Cye on the other hand saw the looks of confusion he was getting from Aideen and realized what he was doing and decided to stick with Japanese. When he saw her face clear in understanding he knew that she was not able to switch her thinking that fast, whereas he was constantly thinking in both so he never realized it when he started halving his languages.

"Toyama huh??" Aideen dug around in her carry on and as she pulled out her schedule for the first semester her eyes got wide. Grinning she showed Cye her schedule. As he grinned back he commented. "Looks like we might see each other in classes, or at least in the hallways."

The rest of the flight was spent amicably reading the manga and Cye instructing her on easier ways of figuring out the kanji that stumped her. As the plane landed they grabbed their things and left the plane saying good bye and wondering if they would ever see the other again. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cye was almost pounced on by White Blaze when he got home, as he was the only one of the group that was not allowed to go to the airport with the others to pick up Cye. As Ryo hauled White Blaze off of a laughing Cye, all of his friends noticed that he looked a lot less stressed than when he left and agreed that this trip was good for him.

As they all pestered him with questions Mia eventually came to his rescue with the suggestion of letting him unpack and settle back into his place before he started in on any stories of what he did on his vacation. As she suggested this Sage suggested that they all take Cye▓s bags in to his room and Cye looked at him quizzically. Mia smiled and motioned for him to follow.

When they got to his room she stopped and let him look in. The place was all his and as he looked around he noticed that most of his water wildlife posters were already hung on the walls and a couple were even stuck to the ceiling.

"Welcome home Cye. I found time to get the guys to help me clean out a few more rooms and sort things into storage for the time being and got three more rooms cleared out so that you could all have your own personal space." As Cye looked at her and the guys grinning back at him he was stunned. He knew from the letters from home that changes had been made but he never expected this.

"Cye, you are all in college now and you will all have different schedules now that Toyama University is offering night classes for the late night people and people with day jobs that can not attend regular classes. So I thought that this would make much more sense than have you all stressing out over having to share and tip toe around each other for your respective schedules."

Cye had to agree that the thought had crossed his mind about moving out so that he would be able to focus on his classes with out bothering the others. Especially since he had been getting used to his own space while he was traveling. Grinning he gave his approval. "I love it. To tell the truth I had been thinking about moving out for a while now because of those very reasons. This solves the problem nicely."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief just as the doorbell rang. As they all jumped to get it Cye managed to slither in front of them all to answer the door and when he opened it up his jaw was left hanging open. As the guys caught up with him and Mia stepped in front of them all to see why Cye had not invited the person in she had to smile at the amazed look on Cye▓s face.

"You must be Aideen, please come in." Mia drew the slightly amazed young woman through the guys to the main living area and had her sit down while she assigned Kento to get her bags and sent Cye to the kitchen to get tea made. While that was going on she paid the taxi and sent him on his way and shut the door after telling Kento and Ryo where to place the bags.

Aideen was slightly overwhelmed at the size of the place she would be staying in, and then was left in complete shock as Cye answered the door. It was obvious to her that he had not been told about her and she did not know that Miss Mia had other boarders with her as well. Well she had found out and now as they all trickled into the living room Cye was the last one in balancing several large trays of food and one tray of tea settings.

When he set them down and had smacked Kento▓s hand away from the tray of goodies she realized that these were the friends she was told about on the plane. As she remembered the conversation she remembered the picture she got to see of them all and wondered why she had not figured this out till now.

Smiling she introduced herself and then pointed them all out and named them. As she did so she left them all in shock that she would know who they were when they barely knew who she was. When she finished they looked at Mia who could only shrug, as she knew that she had not told Aideen of the guys. She smiled at Cye who cleared his throat.

"Well guys, the reason she knows about you all is actually my fault in a manner of speaking." When he had their attention with that statement he continued. "She and I were on the same flight into Japan and we had met at the England National Airport."

"Well Cye that would explain the look of shock that was on you and Aideen▓s face when you saw each other. I suppose that you never thought you would be seeing her again this soon." Mia continued. "I really thought that I had told you about her in one of my letters to you. I had told the others that I had a female boarder coming in and needed help with her Japanese at times but I think it would be for the best if we mixed the languages up a little bit once in a while. She is supposed to be learning the culture here and I guess this is as good a way as any to learn it. Especially in the legends department."

As the guys all grinned at each other on that comment Aideen had to wonder just what they were talking about. When she opened her mouth to ask about what they all meant about the legends, she was interrupted by the phone ringing. Sage excused himself as he was closest to the phone and answered it.

He was gone a while and as he was talking on the kitchen phone the guys all made comments about Sage being the girl magnet and taking bets on who it was that held Sage on the phone so long. Aideen did not think it was to nice but apparently it was routine around that place and they all knew him better than she did. All she knew was that she was getting a bad feeling from the doorway that Sage had just left through.

Rowen noticed Aideen▓s disquiet and her constant glancing at the kitchen door. To give her the benefit of the doubt he asked. "Aideen, what has you so upset?? We tease Sage all the time like this."

He trailed off when he saw the look of minor venom that she shot at him when she got their attention. "Can▓t you feel his hurt??" The words were said in a low voice, but what she said grabbed their attention as they all looked at the door and then noticed that it was very quiet in the kitchen. Aideen stood up and made to move towards the kitchen just as Ryo did. She shot a look at him to let her handle the situation and they all wondered what she could do, especially since she was the stranger to the group. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As Aideen stepped into the kitchen she looked around and saw a back door that was just swinging shut. She quickly moved to the door and as she looked out watched the tall blond move into the forested area behind the house. The pain she felt coming from him was intense and she knew that there was nothing she could do but to follow him and hope that he did not turn on her when she did catch up with him.

She trailed him through the woods easily wondering if he was intentionally letting her follow or if he was just hurting so much that he did not care. He seemed to know the area to well to be trailed of he did not want to be followed. When she finally felt him closer than she felt him before she walled up most of her mind against the hurt she knew she would feel coming off of the young man.

She stepped into the clearing and was surprised to see Sage sitting on the flat rock in the center in the meditation pose. She softly whispered, "It doesn▓t help, does it." He started at the still unfamiliar voice and as his one visible eye opened she could see the pain held deep with in and understood.

The rough voice startled her as she sat there and let herself try to figure out what had pierced his seemingly usual calm. "What are you doing here?" The question was in rough English and the voice that was once smooth with calm reserve was now rough with long held emotion.

Aideen stepped forward towards Sage and then stopped, held by the fierceness in his gaze, as he demanded an answer. In her healer▓s voice she replied. "I felt you hurt, something in the phone call you took has hurt you. I only wish to help if you will let me listen."

"Why did they send you?" Sage was getting further upset by this seeming betrayal by his friends when she answered with out hesitation and calm confidence. "Sage, Listen to me and I will listen to you. I told your friends to stay where they were and I came on my own. It is because of me that they know that you hurt at all. They were in the living area making jokes about your girlfriends when Rowen noted that I was not acting as some one usually would in the midst of all that. When he asked me what was wrong I answered him. Ryo stood to come after you but I told them all to stay there. Unless I missed my mark somewhere, you need another healer to listen to you right now."

Sage▓s ire quickly subsided as her calmly insistent voice drove home the points to him as he found himself listening to her lyrical voice. She was making a valiant attempt at speaking Japanese in this emotionally laden moment and he could not help but listen on a deeper level and understand her completely. When she spoke of another healer he straitened up, as he knew that she could not have known that he was a healer and a medical student.

Aideen took all of this in as she smiled slowly at him with her hand outstretched to him to let her listen to him. As he thought about it he felt compelled to ask as the question tickled his mind now. "Aideen, how is it that you figure that I am a healer?"

"In the land of the Celts the healers were chosen carefully for their abilities in healing but also their abilities to feel. Most of the best healers in Ireland were Village healers, chosen at a young age for their perception, Archaic knowledge and sometimes rare natural healing talent. In my country, one healer could always identify another healer by the way they felt."

"You, have a raw healing Talent that you have used before and it has marked you as a healer. Train it well Date Sage-san, you have a rare talent indeed."

As he felt her explanation wrap around him with the knowledge that it carried, he could not help but think that this girl was far older than she looked. It was the fact that he knew instinctively that he could trust her that he took her hand and the healing cycle began with Aideen.

As she listened to his troubles and what had wrenched open his emotional gates she could not help but feel that he was little by little letting his barriers down to her as the story continued. The story was a pain filled one and she knew that he was still editing it, but still listened to all of the levels of the story. Soon after he started telling what happened that was triggered with the phone ringing she could feel his storm of emotion start to subside and his mind start to slow down from it▓s circles of guilt and pain.

Once that started happening she started seeing the physical aspects of his stress start to ease, but not subside. This was a very locked up young man and she could see easily why it would take so much to break through his self set barriers. Through out the telling of the tale, she kept a hold of his hand and let her own abilities bridge with his through the contact. In this manner she essentially jump started his own abilities with her own to start the healing process for him.

As she understood him better she saw that he trusted very few people, and called even fewer, friend. She felt that the five people that were left in the mansion were five very special and very lucky people.

It had been a few hours since Sage and Aideen had first entered the woods and as the exited the guys could all see them talking seriously about something as they came up towards the house. However they also noticed that Sage▓s emotions had calmed since Aideen had pointed out that he was upset and they were just glad that she was still in one piece. On past occasions they had gone after him after they realized that he was upset only to have an up close and personal contact with the edge of Halo▓s No-Daichi. They all wondered what she had said to keep him from killing her, but soon realized that they were not going to say anything about the journey to the woods.

Aideen soon was yawning with Cye and both excused themselves for the early evening complaining of jet lag. Cye and Mia showed her where the guest room was and that her bags were there already. She thanked them both and asked Mia to convey her thanks to the guys down stairs when she stepped into the room and changed for bed. She was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow; her final thought being of how nice everyone was at the house. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Days passed into months and soon enough the whole house settled down into the new routine of everyone in college and having one more person in the house. Cye and Mia were glad for the extra help in the kitchen, and Kento got to taste new foods on the nights that Aideen cooked. He liked it all and sometimes he would try to over eat, but as she followed Mia and Cye▓s example with the muscular member of the group he always got just enough to fill him for the night and more than enough jibes from the guys about it. The only times she really shocked them any more was when she would join in the fun and her whip snap humor showed leaving them all in the dust and gaping at her as she would calmly continue eating.

The one evening when she was asked where she got such a winning humor she smiled and pointed to Kento. "I have a friend back in Ireland who eats like he does, he is like a brother to me and we have been trading insults on the level since we were both old enough to understand the fine art of the insult." She would grin an apology at Kento and everyone would settle back into finishing another excellent meal.

Aideen soon found out however that no one in that household was exempt for long from the insult slinging that occasionally happened at various points of the day, and when she proved to them that she could give as good as she got, if not better. She was soon getting nailed by everyone at one point or another. When the battles started usually it was one or two of the guys siding with Aideen against the rest of them and when the war was over they were usually all laughing at some of Aideen▓s attempts to translate some of her native insults into the Japanese culture. Sometimes she was successful and the battle would end quickly after the point was gotten. Other times they usually were all on the floor laughing till their sides ached.

In the end however the title of master of the insult, be it rude, crude, obnoxious, or subtle, was passed to Aideen from Ryo and Kento. Aideen however could tell that they were going to learn from her and try to take the unspoken title back. Aideen was a bit surprised however one evening when Mia came up to her. "Aideen, can we go for a walk?" She was a little puzzled but as she extended her senses she could feel the need to talk to her and so she got her tennis shoes on and met Mia out front.

As they walked down towards the lake they both looked back only to find that the guys were watching from the window and White Blaze was following them at a discreet distance. They smiled at the guys who disappeared from the windows and then called White Blaze up to them letting him know that he was welcome to follow them this time.

Aideen▓s first encounter with the great cat was not funny to her for a while after the incident happened but after a while, even she was able to laugh at the situation. She had been asleep for almost 35 hours after she had gotten to Japan as her internal clock reset itself to the new time set and as the guys could not be there all the time to wait for her to wake up so that she would not be to disoriented when she did awaken, they left Blaze behind when they left the house for their one joint class to watch her and make sure that no one bothered her until she did awaken.

Aideen had been so deep asleep that she did not feel the energy shift in the house when the guys left but when she did wake up hours later she was met with a furry black and white striped face. As her brain kicked in as to what the face was she cut loose with a scream of surprise that brought everyone to her door way in time to see White Blaze backing away from a wild eyed redhead bearing a long and very sharp kriss bladed dirk that she looked like she could use in her sleep.

Ryo called to Blaze and got him out of the room and then let Mia and Sage handle the half awake and still dangerous girl. As Ryo, Kento, Rowan and Cye left the area they could not figure out why Sage wanted to stay and help even though he would have been the best choice since Aideen was bearing a blade.

As Sage and Mia approached the still not halfway awake young woman Sage took the front position and Mia did most of the talking trying to wake her newest boarder up. Before he had entered the room Sage had donned his sub armor knowing that if she were to actually use the blade he was going to have to be able to move very quickly since he remembered from his training that scared witless half awake people were the most unpredictable in the manner of their attacks, and he did not have any idea what kind of training this girl may have had in fighting or with the blade, but the ease in which she held it was enough of a warning for Sage to be careful.

"Who are you? What was that beast doing here??" Aideen hissed out in Gaelic. Sage may not have been able to understand what she said, but he could feel what she meant through the Healer's abilities that she had encouraged him to use. Mia and Sage nodded to each other in silent agreement that English would be the best language for this situation and he spoke up after Mia tried to calm her and was unsuccessful.

"Aideen, you need to wake up all the way and remember where you are. You are not in Ireland, you are in Japan and you are at the house of Mia Koji. I am Sage, you helped me the day before yesterday when I was in pain. Remember?"

As he and Mia switched talking to her Sage soon was close enough to the listening Aideen that he could grab the knife but as he moved towards the blade, he was rewarded with a sharp slash across his upper arm between the green plates of his sub armor. As he backed off in haste to inspect the deep slash he wondered at how this half awake woman could be that deadly.

Cye and the others could hear the two talking to Aideen upstairs when they all heard Sage▓s yelp of surprise and pain. As they jumped up to get up the stairs Kento beat them all to the room. Since he changed into his sub armor on his way up he knew that he was going to have to be fast to help them. As he got to the room he saw the white of his buddy▓s armor stained red with blood and the edge of Aideen▓s blade had the traces of it marking it as the cause.

Through the armor link he told Sage to distract Aideen and as Sage made the overt move towards her Kento moved swiftly behind her on the bed and wrapped his arms around her slight body effectively pinning her arms and then moved her off the bed. As she struggled to get out of the hold Kento felt the back of her head connect with his forehead. It hurt but he could not let go until Mia woke her up. As Mia was now certain that she was not going to get scored with the blade that was now pinned down she walked up to the girl and slapped her sharply across the face. Aideen sagged in Kento▓s arms before straitening up again.

"You can let me go now Kento, I think I am awake now." He let her go slowly making sure that she was not going to do anything more with that knife in her hand and when he was reassured that it would not happen he let her go all the way and they all watched as she cleaned the blade, sharpened it and then oiled it for replacement back in it▓s casing.

Only when she was done with this did she look up at the dressed Kento and Sage and noticed Sages bloody shirt. "Oh shit, Sage I am so sorry. I should have warned you all about that." She stood up and rummaged in one of her bags until she came up with a small first aid kit. She looked at Kento and noted the goose egg that was now showing on his forehead where her head connected with his and she felt her own head and winced. I am sorry about the head bashing Kento. She handed him an aromatic compress and told him to put it on the goose egg while she tended to Sage.

Kento looked at Mia questioningly, but when she shrugged he shrugged back at her and did as he was asked. The compress felt cool even though it was the same temperature as the room, and as he let it set he could feel the ache and immediate pain of the injury go away. He was surprised and as he looked at Sage he wondered why he did not just let his armor heal him until he noticed that she was using an infusion of what smelled like Cye▓s cooking herbs on the wound. As they watched Sage did not show any sign of being in pain from the gash until she physically touched the wound. He winced but held still at the look he got from Aideen.

Aideen looked at the knife wound and wondered how he could have gotten that close to her in her wild state to have received this from her. That was for another time though as she gathered her herbs and other medicine she noticed then the strange looks she was getting. She did not explain but simply went to work flushing the wound of any potential toxins and as she touched the wound to hold it closed she could feel him wince. She looked at him reassuringly and then set her focus on the wound. As she released it certain that the ways knew what was supposed to happen she held her hands over it and heard several gasps as a white iridescence radiated from her hands and closed and healed the knife score.

As she finished she swayed a bit and then regathered herself to look around at the amazed faces that were all staring at her. Her only reply to the questions in their eyes before she grabbed her towel and bath things was, "What, have you never seen a healer at work?" 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The bath and shower felt good as she flushed away the dirt of the healing and ritually washed herself in preparation for the new life. As she sat in the bath she could not help but start thinking. ~Sketi, not even in a new place for three days Aideen and already you have injured two of your hosts and have shown that you are not normal in any sense of the word. What the hell were you thinking when you left Erlan▓.~ She thought back on her young childhood when her parents found out that she had a rare ability for healing and decided to move the family to Ireland to see if her father▓s family there could help get her abilities trained and controlled before they could hurt some one.

In the States she was seen as a freak and something that was to be avoided in case what she had was catching. As her father saw what she could do he remembered the tales his mother had told him about the famed healers of Ireland and the fact that Ireland was a land of magic. It was then that he decided to move to his ancestral village and present young Aideen to the village healer to see if she could be brought up in the ways of Ireland▓s magic and healing ways.

Aideen proved to be a quick study of the magics that she had been using so instinctively. As she learned of how and when to use her abilities for healing she also learned why to do it and why she had the abilities. In the understanding community and with in her own family she soon grew to be a strong confidant young woman that took interest in many things other than healing. She learned a bit about Japan and its history with dragon▓s and demons and other creatures of magic and wanted to learn of it more. So with the guidance of her healing mentor she learned the language and in the school system when she got to university level for her schooling she was granted a year and a half in Japan to learn ore of the language and the culture that she would not have a chance to learn otherwise.

Now here she was wrinkling in the bathtub wondering if she should leave for Ireland again just when she had the chance to do what she wanted just because the one dark part of her abilities showed so quickly.

As she grew in the knowledge of her abilities she was warned that all healers had a dark side to them that showed at unexpected times and usually when the healer was not in control of all of their facilities. It was known as the animal, or the beast. Most of the healers reverted to a more primitive and guardian like state when this side of their abilities took over and they would have no ability to control their violent actions until something made them stop. Usually a healer that traveled a lot would learn a bit of control and be able to call on this dark nature at times of great duress, such as when they were traveling and they were attacked by something.

Since most healers carried a blade of some sort with them for a reason or another that had be come the dark nature▓s weapon of choice and the dark healer was most deadly with the blade.

As she finished bathing and dried herself off and changed into her dark blue jeans and wolf sweatshirt she remembered that she had not been wearing her dragon necklace and put it back on quickly. As she dried her hair she finished combing its wavy length and tied it back in a ponytail.

As she stepped out of the bath and walked quickly down to her room and was surprised to see a white tiger there, "I can only assume that you won▓t do me any harm since you are in the house and the guys are here too." As the tiger nodded she looked into his eyes and remembered. "Oh dear, so you were the reason the Wild one came out this afternoon. I am terribly sorry for hurting your friends." The great cat nodded again and left her room back down the stairs while she put her things away.

As she came down the stairs she saw that Kento and Ryo were there and as she extended her senses she could not feel any one else. Ryo was looking at her almost in reproach and Kento was just looking at her in minor awe as she came down the stairs and looked around. They stayed where they were though until she had gotten something to eat and came back out to the living area.

When she sat down she looked up into Ryo▓s blue eyes and Kento▓s dark eyes and sighed sadly. "I am sorry for what happened. I hurt you Kento and your friend could have lost the use of his arm had I cut him anywhere but where I did. For all of that I am truly sorry." Her voice was thick with emotion and since she was not thinking of what she said it came out in a very thickly accented English. Her head was bowed in the old sign of submission as she apologized and she stayed that way until she had an answer.

As a hand touched her shoulder she looked up to see Kento on one side of her and Ryo on the other. "Aideen, it will be OK. You just surprised us with your actions today and scared some of us with what you did with that knife. However, you were not hurt and Sage and Kento here would have healed." Ryo was speaking softly and as he took her hand she could feel his sincerity.

She looked at Kento and was reassured of having been forgiven and then looked at them both. "Who was the tiger?? He rather startled me twice today and I could have hurt him as well." She was miserable and since she was used to being open about how she felt, her emotions came across on all wavelengths.

"Well, we were going to introduce you to him when you woke up from your sleep but I think that just was not going to happen as you got an up close and personal introduction to him. I for one and just glad that he knew that you would not be a threat to him if he kept his distance. He understands things like that."

As Ryo finished that part of his explanation the kitchen door swung open and Blaze walked into the main room. As he walked up to the trio on the couch, Aideen held her hand out for him to identify and then gently began to scratch him behind his ears with her manicured nails. "Aideen, this is White Blaze. White Blaze, this is Aideen." Blaze nudged her hand in greeting and leaned into her attentions as she explained what had happened to her when she woke up.

As she finished her explanation she finally gave a name to what she was when she was like that. "I am know to the Irish as a Wildling, in tune with nature and everything in it we are generally very uncomfortable when indoors and we understand all the creatures and the magics that govern them." She looked at them apologetically and was surprised when she heard another voice speak up behind her. "Well that would explain your healing abilities a bit."

As Aideen jumped and turned to the new voice she was face to face with Mia who had just walked in the door. "Well." Aideen started not sure if she should tell them her secrets or not and decided to go for broke since they had seen most of what she was capable of. "Actually Mia-san, it is because of my healing abilities and the fact that I was trained in the old ways of being a healer that I will become the Wildling. Healers have other abilities as well, but I have to discover them for myself."

Mia nodded in understanding and then looked at Kento and Ryo. "Well guys, since she trusted us with her secret, Shall we show her yours?"

"I do not think that would be a bad idea." Cye walked in with Rowen and Sage smiling slightly. "Aideen, have you heard anything in the world new in the last couple of years about a city in Japan that was essentially cut off from the outside world? And when it was reopened no one could remember what happened??"

Aideen thought about it for a few moments and then looked at the guys and then back into her memories. "I remember feeling something dark in the world for a while. But I did not hear anything in the news or the newspapers about it."

Sage walked up to Aideen and as Ryo and Sage stood her up all seven of them surrounded her. Sage explained as they set up their circle. "Aideen, I know that you have a basic telepathic ability, and I know that you have it figured out that we have that ability as well. What we are doing is what I like to call a memory circle. You are about to see in your mind what happened when that darkness fell on the city from our point of view."

In the minutes that passed after they all started to tell their tale, Aideen found herself in the middle of a strange, lethal and wonderful tale of what happened to the city and why the darkness came. After she had seen the whole story, she sighed and shook her head. It was hard for her to believe that there were mysteries and events that were so monumental to mankind▓s survival, and no one would know that they happened with the exception of a few chosen warriors. When she opened her eyes what she saw startled her backwards into the person behind her. As she was caught, she found herself staring at the five young men she had met only two days ago, only their energies were stronger as they were covered in armors that were the ones she saw in the story.

As she looked up she saw herself having been caught by Rowen, dressed in a dark blue armor he introduced them all. "Aideen, I am Rowen Hashiba, also know as Rowen of the Strata Armor and keeper of the life force. Over in the green armor you have Sage Date, also know as Sage of the Halo, and keeper of wisdom. Then there is Kento Fung, or Kento of Hardrock, holder of justice. Ryo Sanada of the Wildfire and keeper of the virtue. Last but not least there is Cye Mouri of Torrent, and keeper of trust. Collectively we are known as the Ronin Warriors."

As the introductions were passed around Mia was standing off to one side with White Blaze smiling at her friends when they all noticed Aideen looking at the front door. "Um, Mia-san?? Did you know that you have company on the grounds??" 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

As Mia looked to the guys who were now down to their sub-armors she noticed that they had been at alert stations until they had a chance to feel them. As their kanji lit on their foreheads in response to the powers out side of the door they were still a little tense but they nodded that it was OK. As Mia opened the door she spoke for a few moments and then let the new guests into the main room.

Aideen took one look at the sub armored individuals and as her eyes got wide she backed up. The four new comers to the group looked at Aideen and then to their counterparts in question as to what was going on.

Aideen saw four people and then she saw one female and three animals. As she backed into White Blaze she whispered to herself, but everyone heard her and gaped in astonishment. "Spider, snake, wild dog, the-the legends."

Dais▓s one eye opened wide at the identification of himself before he even had a chance to introduce himself to this new person and then realized that she had the second sight and did not realize it. He smiled reassuringly to her and then completely armored down to his clothes and gestured for the others to do the same. "You needn▓t fear us, miss. We are not what we once were."

Dais walked up to her and bowed slightly and took her hand so that she could get a better feel of who he was as he introduced himself. "I am Dais of the Spider, also known as the Warlord of Illusion, and warrior of serenity. My compatriots are Cale, The Black Jackal; Warlord of Corruption and warrior of obedience. Sekhmet son of the snake gods, Warlord of Venom, and warrior of piety. The bearer of the Armor of Cruelty is Kayura, last of the Clan of the Ancients."

As Dais made the introductions for the new group Aideen noticed that the ronin were starting to relax and it was at this time that she realized that the two groups had not had the time to completely reconcile their differences since their final battles with Talpa.

As she actually took her shields down during the introductions she felt his curiosity about her and she knew that she was a little bit curious about these warriors that had at one point been out to destroy her hosts.

As she got a good feel for all of the ones in the new party that had arrived she felt a deep and abiding sense of loss and looked quizzically at Kayura. "Who is it that you all miss so much? You especially for something he did for all of you."

Dais was again surprised at how sharp her perceptions and could only smile as he again realized that he was going to have to get used to this one. He could feel her raw potential and wondered if the ronin would let him undertake some of the training of that potential so that she would not have so many problems with the second sight that seemed to trouble her.

Another memory circle was made but this time some of the emotions did not make sense as she watched Anubis give his life and his armor to drive out Badamon from Kayura. Once she understood though, she nodded and opened her eyes and saw that of the group only Blaze did not seem saddened about the loss. Understanding that he knew something that the rest did not she kept silent and let him have his knowledge.

As she got to know the warlords and Kayura she became more at ease with them and when she realized that she was picking up some of the definitions about certain things from Dais and Sage she walled herself off and continued the conversation. What had brought the warlords to this realm was the fact that the ronin had armored up and because of the pact between the seasonal armors, as they preferred to be called now, and the ronin they came in case there was danger.

Before the seasonals left for their realm again they surrounded Aideen and swore out that if she would be in any danger that she could not handle as the Wildling, they would come to her aid.

"But how will I be able to call on you? You can not be watching me all the time and I know that I do not have the telepathic range to reach between realms to you all in the Dynasty." She was confused at their total acceptance of who she was until she remembered that that these seasonal warriors were all right around the 400 year old mark and had seen more in the way of magic and strange things than she would probably be able to understand.

Aideen turned and looked to Mia who was smiling, grateful that this student would at least have a protector when her friends could not be there. Kayura looked at the ronin and Mia. "If it is alright with you all we would like to take Miss Aideen to the Dynasty. She will be alright but we want to be able to give her a tracer like we did with you Mia."

Aideen▓s eyes got huge when she heard where they wanted to take her and spoke up. "Um, if it is OK with you all, I am not quite comfortable with all of this yet so could you bring White Blaze, if it is OK with Ryo??"

Ryo nodded that it was OK with him and Blaze stepped over to Aideen▓s side when Cye spoke up. "I hate to sound like the bad egg here but Aideen, why do you want White Blaze to go with you and not one of us?"

"I am sorry Cye, But should I turn Wildling in the Dynasty, Blaze here will be the only one who will understand me and he will be the only one that I will be able to understand now that I have had some time to get to know him now." Cye and the others nodded in their understanding and let them go. She turned to the seasonals and nodded.

"I am ready except for one thing." She paused behind them as they stepped forward and concentrated. Her dirk appeared in her hand and as she attached it to her belt she noticed that the seasonals had seen what had happened but did not mind. As she stepped into their circle with Blaze she shut down her mind as she felt the teleportation take hold of her and the world went dark. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When Aideen came to she found herself in a bed over hung with curtains so that it was dark. When she took the time to reorient herself she remembered where she was supposed to be that that she had shut down her own mind to keep her untrained talents from transporting her someplace else. In remembering all of that she called out for White Blaze and was reassured that it was not all a dream yet when she saw his head poke through the curtains. When he saw that she was awake and fully aware, he pulled back the curtains and she saw that she was in a castle room and that there was a servant there as well as a guard at the door.

The servant girl walked up to the bed upon seeing that the girl was now awake and bowed slightly. "Lady Aideen, I am Tria, I was told to inform the Lady Kayura when you have awakened. If that is alright with you I shall do so now."

"Well Tria, I think that I had better not keep the hostess waiting on me. Please inform her that I am awake and in full control of my facilities." She smiled as the serious faced young lady walked briskly out of the room and she found herself wondering if there were still many of the dark spirits here in the Dynasty as she felt in the memory circle.

She found that she did not have long to wait as the door opened again with Tria, Sekhmet, and Cale. Tria addressed her as Cale and Sekhmet took up guard positions on each side of her. Blaze was behind her and Tria took the front as she spoke. "The Lady Kayura will see you now."

As Aideen walked towards their destination she looked up at Cale and Sekhmet and could not help but ask. "Beggin▓ your pardons, but why is it that you are escorting me and not one of the regular guards that there seem to be so many of??"

Sekhmet looked over at Cale and as he nodded he looked at Aideen he explained. "The Lady Kayura has not been in charge of the Dynasty for all that long yet, and she is still rooting out the traitors in her guard retinue. It is at Dais▓s suggestion that for your general safety, even though we know that you and the tiger can take care of yourselves in a fight, that we accompany you until you become used to the Dynasty and it▓s ways before we let you wander around unguarded." Sekhmet returned to his watch as he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye and Tria added in.

"If it makes you feel any better about this, the Lady Mia is able to be traced anywhere she may go, but she is still escorted to where ever she may need to go in the castle and is guarded at all times by the guards that she knows and that she and Lady Kayura trust."

Aideen felt better about the precautions taken for her safety when she heard Cale chuckle. "We are also to escort you for the other reason being that Mia would turn us into roast seasonal on toast if anything were to happen to you while you were under our protection and none of the ronin were here to take over in a fight." She had to grin at that because Mia did not look like some one who could take on much of anyone. But apparently these two had learned the hard way to never underestimate any one in a potentially violent situation with guardianship under question.

She noticed that there were some things about the castle that had changed from the one in her memories and could only assume that with the new Dynasty there would be quite a few changes in the winds as the bad chaff was sorted out and the infrastructure was rebuilt. When they reached Kayura▓s chambers Dais was there with her and she stood up to welcome Aideen. "Welcome, you had us worried there when you passed out in the middle of the teleport until Dais was able to tell us that you are only partially trained in your many abilities. I am certainly glad that you know when to shut down for safety reasons but next time you have to do that please warn us?"

Kayura smiled and nodded to Tria, dismissing her and invited her to sit at the table. "You must be hungry since you slept for the better portion of the day recovering."

Aideen just looked at her in surprise at the mention of time and then looked at the food on the table. It smelled delicious and sat down. As she started eating she noted that the taste of the food was slightly off, when she inquired of it, Kayura looked at Sekhmet for the answer.

"The ronin as well as Mia and Yulie mentioned that too the first time they ate here. But that is only because I have laced their first meals with an anti-venom that will render you immune to most of the poisons that can be found here in the dynasty. Consider it a gift and a precaution in your favor."

Aideen nodded and continued to eat although she was still a little wary of things in this strange place, she knew that the possible friendship forged here as well as the threat of roast seasonal on toast would keep the warlords on the up and up with her.

"I have found it a little unusual that I have not seen this Yulie person yet that you have mentioned. Is he the boy that held that odd jewel in the last battle with Talpa??"

Cale winced in memory of the annoying little brat that was now turning into a responsible young man in his training in the martial arts with the warlords. He had mastered most of the staff katas that Kayura had to teach him, but he still had problems with his blade katas. It was in this that it surprised everyone that Sekhmet had the most patience with the boy, walking him through each stance and correcting it as necessary until he did it right.

"He is in the arena currently practicing his staff katas until one of us can go down and monitor him on his sword katas and then his sparring." Was the short answer from the short-tempered Seasonal of Corruption. Aideen had to smile to herself as she remembered that she had to practice a kata of her own if she were to keep her dirk skills up to snuff for competition.

"If you do not mind, I would like to spar with him after I have a chance to run through my kata with my dirks." Dais, Sekhmet and Cale all smiled as Kayura agreed to the arrangement and scheduled it for that very day. The guys thought that she would probably be a beginner with the katas even though she was good with the blade when she was a Wildling.

With that out of the way they settled down to the business of setting the tracer spell into their guest. With her permission they all agreed that with her Wildling heritage the only way a tracer spell was going to be able to be set with her shifting auras was to set it into a branding. Now all that remained was to decide on the design of the brand for it was something that she was going to have to live with for the rest of her life, whereas with Mia all they had to do was give her a tracer element and the spell activated over her and she no longer needed the element. Should the time come the spell could be removed and Mia would have no mark for it.

As they took her to the room where the branding would be done and the casting would follow, Aideen started to get nervous about things. White Blaze had been asked to stay behind just in case something happened and he went defensive and interrupted the spell for some reason. Kayura was in front of her and Cale and Sekhmet were in their former positions on either side of her so neither of the three could really see her get nervous.

However Dais was behind her and as she started tensing up from the thoughts of what branding entailed he reached out with his unarmored hand and placed it on her shoulder hoping to reassure her and keep her from getting so worked up that she turned Wildling.

He had only seen one Wildling in action in his time in the dynasty and all he really remembered about the event was that there were very few guards that would go around the man any more afterwards because most of the ones that did look after him were dead in the struggle to get him restrained until he could calm down.

Aideen felt the hand and understood its purpose even though she knew that Dais was still in the process of changing from what he once was. She appreciated the gesture and reached up and touched his hand in thanks and was surprised. The first time they had contact she did not notice anything because she was on sensory overload at the time. Now she had time to think about things and was surprised to feel that his hand was smooth and not rough or calloused from wearing armor or wielding weapons for the several hundred years that he had been a warlord.

Dais was also surprised as he never expected to be acknowledged in his efforts, but he could feel through the contact that she was starting the calm down again and so left her alone with her thoughts as they entered the chamber. As they had already explained the process of branding to her she knew what to do, but it did not ease her fears as she made her way to the table where she would be strapped down for their safety during the branding process.

It was supposed to be quick since Kayura would be heating the brand with a spell so there would be no waiting for the brand to heat. However she was still shaking as Cale and Sekhmet and Dais all worked to strap her arms and feet down to the table so that she was face down. It was agreed that the design would be placed on her left shoulder blade area.

As she looked from Kayura, who was focused on the spells of heating the branding iron and the tracer energies, to Cale and Sekhmet, who were at the door one guarding from with in and the other guarding from without. She finally looked at Dais, who had completely armored down to his usual attire and was looking at her watching carefully for the signs of her turning Wildling in her nervousness. As her hand spasmodically opened and closed, he took her hand in his and the warmth of his grip reassured her again that all would be well. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Dais could not understand. With so many changes happening in his recent life he could not understand how this young waif had become so entangled in his own emotional turmoil. It was all he knew that he wanted to protect her however he could until he could be with her. As he touched her the first time he wondered at this young woman that had not shied away from him. Now her own troubles had touched a chord in him that he never knew he had and he was fighting this feeling with every ounce of his being to keep him volunteering to become her personal protector.

He had his duties here in the Dynasty to protect it from the evil that tried to reassert itself everyday and he knew that he would need to be there in the dynasty should the day come that he was needed for the fight. He was over 400 years old and by far the oldest of the four seasonal warriors, past and present.

Yet he felt like he knew this girl from somewhere before and now he wanted nothing more than to find out where he knew her from and to protect her. "The brand is ready, please relax if you can." He spoke reassuringly to Aideen as he saw the fear leap into her eyes again. He gripped her hand to let her know that he was not going anywhere and as the brand came swiftly in contact with her exposed skin, her scream of pain and fear rang through the castle before she let herself pass out from the pain for a few minutes.

Dais looked up at Kayura when she was done with the branding and nodded. "Now is the time to set the spell, while she is unconscious and unable to resist it."

Kayura nodded and as she gathered the tracing energies that she had released from a large tracer element she started setting it into the now cooling and healing mark. Once done she nodded to Dais and he started to apply the cool compress they had prepared earlier to her forehead and then to the still burning mark. It worked, as the cool water and herbs started healing her burn the aroma woke her and she looked over and the four now standing before her.

She was still tied down as she noticed but she was so tired. Her body and aura had fought something that had invaded it, but now it was a part of her and she was aware of where she was and nodded to them as she yawned. "I am in full control. Wise of you to use an herbal compress to heal and awaken me."

As she identified them she could feel Blaze outside of the door getting rather upset. "You all had better untie me and let White Blaze in or I fear he will knock down the door." She smiled as she was released, then winced as her left shoulder was stiff and still had the burning sensation from the mark. That was to be expected.

What was not expected was Blaze bounding into the room ready to fight with the seasonals until he saw Aideen up and moving. When he saw that he controlled himself and walked over to her and as she reassured him that she was fine he completely subsided in his anger at the seasonals and followed them all out.

As they left she got the time from Cale and then looked at Kayura. "You don▓t suppose I could take a quick rest before my practice session with young Yulie? I may have passed out during that process but my spirit is still recovering from the invasion of the foreign energy."

"For one so young you seen to understand quite a bit about the majicks and its side effects on a person. How is it that you know so much about the arts at such a young age?" Dais had to know, as his job in the Dynasty was informant and information he was always trying to gather what information he could about everyone.

"Actually I am not sure how I know. I just know and I do not question it. It is what is called archaic knowledge. Most people lose the ability to access the archaic knowledge after they start going to school and learning to think like the rest of normal society. However, thinking like the rest of society is not desired in a healer in the old villages, so we do not get formal schooling. Only what we need to know to survive in the daily world." She shrugged not being able to explain better vexed her but she knew there was nothing she could do about it so she let it be.

Dais understood as did the rest of the group and they were impressed with her. They found themselves wondering just how much training she would actually need to survive in the Dynasty since she seemed to still be in contact with the knowledge that spanned all dimensions.

"Here are your quarters for when you stay here in the Dynasty. When you are gone into the earth realm, they will not be touched unless you give permission." With that Kayura sealed the door on the quarters with a specific spell. Aideen could not figure out what spell it was but she was glad for a lock of some sort and grateful for a place she could call her own while she recovered from her morning ordeal.

When she lay on the bed all went dark as the curtains were drawn around her. Startled, she looked up to see who else had stayed or entered into the room and saw Dais. "A pleasant rest to you."

"Thank you Dais, will you be staying?" She wondered as something seriously tickled the back of her mind and she wanted to know more about this strange man that had been so kind to her through out her trip here.

"I must stay unless I am called to do my work in the Dynasty. Rest assured you will not be with out a familiar guard for your first trips here into the dynasty." As he looked on she appeared to fade almost as her eyes slid shut he heard her whisper, "Thank you, you are my friend."

He blushed and finished closing the curtains around her bed quickly so that he could try and think about what it was about this girl that his mind wanted so much to remember even though he knew that he had never met her before until yesterday. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

In the Earth realm, as the guys and Mia all waited through their school days for Aideen to return, they were all shocked to feel a scream of pain and fear rip through them that it all had them out of their respective classes and jobs and into their armors before they knew what had happened. As they stopped to think about what was going on, they all met and realized that it was not Mia. Since the only other female they know that might have had trouble taking care of herself was Aideen, Sage and Cye were all for taking off for the Dynasty to find out who the hell hurt her.

As they went back home to report to Mia what happened she surprised them all by already knowing. "I think it has something to do with the way she had to have the tracer spell cast on her. She, unlike me, has a shifting aura so they would have to mark her some how and attach the tracer spell to that."

As she finished her explanation of what was going on Rowen asked. "How is it that you knew we were coming and what was going on?" She could only shrug and offer another conclusion based on her studies. "It may be I knew what was going on because Kayura told me that the tracer spell that they place on people that are to be protected by both groups is some how linked to all nine armors. When she was added to the link, it would only be natural that I would feel it too."

They all agreed that the explanation made sense, and until they were contacted by some one in the Dynasty, they would all have to sit tight and hope that she would be all right.

She was awake. He did not know how he knew, but he did. She was awake and in time for her practice session on her own and then with Yulie. As he waited for her confirmation that she was fully awake he found himself resigning himself to the wait as she would call the Tiger first.

He could understand that since she was in tune with nature and its creatures as a Wildling and he was not ready to be her first victim if he should happen to startle her into that state. While he waited he donned his sub armor since he traded with Cale on the duties of watching Yulie and sparring. He almost challenged Cale himself after a comment the jackal had made about him being so trapped in a web he could not see strait. But desisted when he realized that Cale for once might be right.

As the curtain was drawn back he found himself not caring what Cale said and found his eyes drawn to the lone occupant of the bed as she sat up and looked at Dais. As she crawled out of the bed she greeted him and then looked around a bit.

"Are you missing something Aideen??" He knew that she would probably want to change into something more suitable for practice with the Dirks she carried but he knew and she belatedly remembered that she did not bring her sparring gear with her.

Aideen looked at Dais and smiled slowly, "Actually yes, I seemed to have left my sparring duds back in the earth realm and I can hardly do anything in this get up." She gestured to her current outfit. "Do you know where I might get a spare sparring gi?"

Dais stood and walked around her appraisingly and he found himself rather delighted by her blushing at his scrutiny. When he moved away from her he poked his head out of the door and mumbled something to the servant that was obviously waiting there.

When he came back into the room he had in his hand a hanger with a pair of black parachute pants and an intricately patterned leotard to go with it as a top. Smiling he presented them to her and actually was surprised that he flushed when she commented after looking at them, "You know Yulie is not going to be the only one off his guard with me in this get up."

She turned to the changing curtain and drew it closed and left Dais for a few moments with his own thoughts until she stepped out. The sparring slippers to the hair band everything fit perfectly and as Dais caught sight of her as she reset her dirks, one being the one her Wildling side used and the other being a gift from Kayura and the other Warlords as a welcoming gift.

To Dais he had not seen such a sight of lithe beauty. Her movements conveyed a sense or slightly animalistic grace, beautiful to behold but ultimately deadly if not treated with the utmost respect. He had not foreseen this side of her and now knew why she sometimes had such a hard time adjusting to new areas as he could see that she was more Wildling in this world than she was the girl that struggled to survive in some areas of the world in the other realm.

Here she looked an acted as if she belonged and it warmed Dais to know that she would not need much training at all to bring the supremely confidant young woman he saw now out into the light for all to see.

As they walked down to the arena he could not help but wonder of she felt anything for him or if his first impression of her had been wrong. He found that he had to make an effort to push those thoughts aside as he showed her to the practice ring for her to warm up on her own.

As she stretched and prepared for her kata he noticed that if she was not careful he was going to have to step into her sparring duel with Yulie as right now she was relaxed and in her element it seemed. One wrong move in any part of her match would send her into the Wildling state and he would have his hands full trying to dodge her and still get her to calm down.

She ran through the basic kata first and as she felt her mind settle into the meditation pattern for her second kata she let herself flow from one movement to the next only making the short moves that indicated a kill or defense when it was needed. As she finished she knew that she was ready for any speed of combat and looked at Dais.

Dais snapped out of his reverie of the paragon before him and sent the messenger ahead to warn Yulie that his sparring partner was here and ready for him. When the messenger returned with the all ready confirmation, she was lead into a large sparring floor. At the opposite end of the floor stood a boy who looked like he knew what he was about with the katana that was in his hands.

As she readied her dirks she opened her senses all the way for the battle and felt out her opponent and was surprised to find that he was surprised at who he was supposed to be fighting. They had not told him that he would be sparring against a woman today. Kayura was different; he knew that she knew what she was about with the twin jittes of hers. This woman had two short blades that could have almost been mistaken for very short swords.

He readied himself and called the challenge, as she responded to the challenge she readied her dirks, one in offense and one in defense. Dais noted her stance and saw that it was a variation of the fencing stances, adapted for the twin blades she was using and approved of her abilities with the blades more and more.

As the fight commenced it was fast. Yulie had been learning some speed with the katana in his lone practice time and it had improved his fighting as he was better able to meet, parry and attack against this woman who▓s blades seemed to bounce off of his with the clang of sound metal.

As Dais watched the contest he began to see the signs of Yulie preparing to change tactics and all to soon there the new tactics were. As he put Aideen on the defensive, he was now using less energy in his defense and was able to pour the strength he was developing into his attacks. Soon enough into the tactics you could hear a high-pitched humming as Aideen▓s blades flashed about in attack and defense. Neither would give ground freely and all to soon Yulie tried something new.

Instead of attacking with the blade he flipped over her and kicked her knees out from behind. As he finished the attack with a light trace score on her back he found himself face to face with a changed woman.

Dais cursed to himself as he had not seen this move coming. The trace score had hit her still sensitive shoulder and it had tripped her already maxed out senses into overdrive and had triggered the change. He called for Yulie to quit the field and jumped down into the ring in his sub armor so that she would still be able to see his face. He could only hope that this back up plan that he had would work. A minor change of scenery and she was back in Ireland in the woods and he was there in his full armor looking as he did she mistook him for an oversize spider and tried to talk to it.

He remembered to keep things going as he drew her closer and closer until he could tangle her in the web he had set. Once he had here he employed the one tactic he never ever wanted to use with a woman and backhanded her across her face to make her focus on him.

Once the focus was there she calmed down quickly and her eyes lost the look that told of her Wildling state. When she had finished gasping from the strength of the blow she looked at him dully and asked. "Yulie? Where is he??"

As Dais removed her from the webbing he answered her. "I told him to leave as soon as you changed. He got out of here with a scratch, but it will heal. However you are going to need some healing back in your realm to heal what I have just done to you." Dais felt terrible about having to have hit her, but her slow smile reassured him that he was forgiven for the act.

"Will you help me get back? I don▓t think I could try to do it on my own right now. Oh what a headache I have." She slumped to the ground almost before Dais could catch her and he teleported her directly to Kayura. She agreed that she needed to get back where she could heal herself and so told Cale and Sekhmet that they were in charge while she and Dais returned the now unconscious Aideen to the Mortal Realm. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Aideen had completely healed now from Dais▓ first strike on her as he helped her back into the more human state that they all preferred her to be in. After she reassured Kento and Mia that she would be fine after she had enough rest and time to infuse her herbs, she was allowed to rest and deal with the stinging welt that was on her face. When she looked in the mirror she realized that Dais had not used his fist to bring her back, but instead only clipped her with his sub armored fingers. She sighed and finished treating the wound and went to bed.

All of this ran through her mind as she walked with Mia down on the dock at the lake. When they reached the end Mia sat down and bade her guest to do the same. Aideen could feel the tension in the air and wondered what was going on that would make the usually calm Mia nervous about talking to her.

She Sat down and almost as soon as she did, Mia started in. "Aideen, you and I both know that I am very used to strange goings on in any capacity right?" As Aideen nodded she caught a glimmer of where this was going. "Well the guys have been discussing things and they finally come to me for an opinion. Since I have no idea what your thoughts are I decided to ask you about things before I am forced to make a decision."

Aideen got a sick feeling in her stomach but quickly suppressed it since Mia was still willing to talk things out. "What is it that I could probably help with Mia-san??" Try as she might, She still could not keep her nerves out of her voice.

"Well, the guys are worried about you. You have been practicing, and disappearing at strange times. Granted you have not missed any classes at the university yet, but the Ronin and I are all wondering if you are feeling comfortable here with us, or if you would be comfortable elsewhere if we can help you get settled into a place where you can talk to the people there." Mia was worried about her and the fact that they were wondering about her comfort level and her trust meant that Cye had noticed things about her body language and they all could see that she had to struggle at times to hold back the Wildling side of her in large crowded stressful situations such as student events when she did not know what was going on.

Aideen sighed as she gathered her thoughts to answer her hostess. "Mia-san, I am most grateful for the opportunity you have given me to study here in Japan, and the legends and history class that the guys and I all attend is fantastic. I guess I am just still trying to find my niche here. I enjoy the ability to be able to go to the Dynasty now that it has calmed down quite a bit since those times of battle. But I guess I am more afraid that I am going to hurt some one here in this realm than the other since you all do not have to be on your toes all the time."

"I will admit that when I am allowed to go Wildling in the Dynasty it helps me to keep from doing the same here, but I have injured Sekhmet and Dais already there. Even though they have forgiven me and did not mind the wounds, I care about everyone I have met so far in my journeys here and there and I do not want to harm any one here in this realm if there is no one to restrain me or get my attention. I might kill a student, or worse and I do not wish to take that chance even though I want to be able to stay here in one of the few places that truly understands my dual natures."

As she looked out onto the lake she could not help but think of Dais and then of the other seasonals and how they had given her the freedom to move about the realm as she wished but were always able to be right there if she ever turned on some poor unsuspecting innocent. Usually it was Dais that would come to restrain her, but the others would come as well if she was in a particularly difficult mood or was wilder than usual, but Dais would be the only one who would be willing to get within her strike zone to subdue her.

As they had worked on her control in the Dynasty, Dais also took up a study of various holds and points that would subdue her with out causing the damage that a strike from them in armor could cause.

Mia finally understood what was bothering her young charge and now that she understood, she could do something about it. She knew that she trusted all of them and she trusted the seasonals more than the ronin did at times to not harm her in their practice sessions here in the mortal realm but this came from her spending most of her nights when she did not have classes early the next day, practicing with each of them in the Dynasty and helping to train Yulie when his parents allowed him to go for his weekend stays with Kayura.

She also understood that even though she wanted to be here she also did not want to be where she would hurt some one with out having one of the guys around to be able to restrain her. Thus far when she had changed in the mortal realm the guys would have to change to at least their sub-armor and restrain her with one or two of the group while the others would try to get the telling strike in.

Usually Kento would find a way in through her defenses to start the restraint and Sage would partner him in deflecting her blades. Cye would usually call on his yari to grab her around the middle to further restrain her while Ryo or Rowen would be the one to hit one of the main pressure points to knock her out. When she woke up her bruises were usually gone and she would be fine, and since she started training in the Dynasty as she did. It was a relief to the guys to see that her control was firming up and that she did not change to often any more as Sage started teaching her several quick and slow meditation practices.

As Mia thought about all of this she and Aideen did not feel the extra presence come up behind them until White Blaze chuffed at them to get their attention. When they looked up they saw Sekhmet standing over them waiting patiently. When he knew that he had their attention he spoke. "Kayura sends her greetings and an invitation for you both to join the ronin in a visit to the Dynasty."

Mia looked at Sekhmet and then to Aideen and back as she explained. "I am sorry Sekhmet, but please explain to Kayura that Aideen and I are discussing her current problem and trying to find a solution that will help her remain here for the rest of her stay in Japan."

Sekhmet turned his hooded eyes on Aideen and responded after a pause. "Mia, it is this very problem that you are discussing that Kayura wishes to speak with all of you." As he turned to leave for the Dynasty realm Mia stood up after a moment of thought and answered. "Please convey to Kayura that we shall attend this discussion then since it will involve everyone."

Sekhmet nodded and disappeared into the dark and left Blaze to escort Mia and Aideen back to the house where they knew that the guys would be waiting for them for transport to the dynasty. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

When the group stepped out of the portal and into the castle of the Dynasty they looked around to get their bearings and Dais seemed to come out of the wall to greet them. They all started with the exception of Aideen, as she had time and the practice of expecting things like that out of the spider. Kento just glared at his one time rival but nodded when it was agreed that tonight▓s meeting was important.

Cale stepped out of the shadows and looked at Dais. "Kayura sends word that you are to take Miss Aideen off to another part of the castle to speak with her about the problem until she sends for you." He looked at Sage and then the others. "You are to follow me and the discussion will be held."

Mia looked at Rowen and shrugged as they all followed except Dais and Aideen. When they had gone to the meeting room, he turned to her and tilted her face to look at before he spoke. "Come, I have been thinking long and hard about your problem and I have already made my thoughts clear to Kayura about it. We are not needed at the meeting so I have been sent to speak with you alone about what they will be discussing in there."

As they walked off in the other direction Aideen noticed that they were not headed towards the arena like they usually did when they had things to discuss, but rather they were headed to the inner sanctum that was her favorite spot in the palace. Dais completely armored down as they walked and Aideen noticed that instead of his usual palace walk abouts, he was instead wearing a dark gray silk shirt and matching dress slacks. She was wearing the same outfit she had worn to school that day and so felt a little drab in her faded jeans and old sweat shirt.

When they reached the inner sanctum Dais lead her into the room with her eyes closed and then shut the doors behind them. When she was allowed to open her eyes she was astonished at what she saw.

In the middle of the room there was a small table with two candles and dinner for two set up. Now Aideen felt really under dressed until she realized that Dais had given her another gift; he had created the illusion about her of her being in the dark green dress that he liked so much on her and put her hair back into a clip instead of her ponytail. She was almost overwhelmed at the beauty of the scene when she realized that old Gaelic music was playing softly in the background.

"Do you like it Aideen?" His voice held hope, fear and promise all at the same time as he sat her at the table. As she looked about and then into his eyes she finally found her voice.

"Dais, it▓s beautiful." Her voice was slightly awed as she whispered the words that set his mind at ease. As he poured the wine she smiled at him and his princess treatment. When she started eating she found that her plate was a mix of Japanese and Irish delicacies and knew that he had gone to a certain effort to get the recipes for the Irish food.

Dais was not certain how to tell her what he and Kayura had discussed in private counsel, but he could feel through his armor link that most of the idea was going over OK with a few snags and resistances. In a soft voice he gained her attention, "Lady Aideen,"

Her attention was caught by the tone and the title since he had never called her anything but Aideen or little Wildling before. "Lady Aideen, I am not sure how to word this but you know that I know of what has been troubling you lately. I have had several discussions with Kayura and we have come to an agreement. If you would wish it, you may stay here in the Dynasty and go to the University in the Mortal Realm and visit whenever you wish."

Aideen was stunned again as she heard his offer and as the wheels in her mind began to turn again as the shock passed she knew that this would be an answer that she was looking for. She was a creature and human and she fit in here in the Dynasty. Here she had her niche and she would still be able to continue her courses.

She did not even think about what would happen in just over a year when she would have to return to Ireland. Now she would be able to be safe and keep her friends safe. When she looked up from her thoughts she noticed that Dais was now standing before her. "Please say you will stay." He knelt before her and took her hand in his. "In the small amount of time I have come to know you I find that I am no longer the spider I once was. Something in my soul clicked and I have waited this long for some sign that you might feel something for me. Now I have seen nothing and now I ask you. Lady Aideen, do you feel anything for me in the way that I feel for you?"

He speech was on impulse and as it started and stopped several times as he wrestled for the right words she could see in his eyes that he meant everything he had said. As her own eyes softened she smiled at him softly and whispered. "Dais, I have been searching for a very long time for someone that is very dear to me. A soul that has been matched with my own many millennia ago on another plane of existence."

"As I hear your words and see how you act and who you are, there can be no mistake. You have been born with that soul in you." She leaned over and kissed him softly on his forehead and smiled as his kanji for Serenity shown brightly at the contact. "Yes, I will stay Dais, for as long as I am able to I will stay with you."

Dais stood and as he did so he drew Aideen up out of her seat with him. As they came close to each other, he kissed her gently and drew her away from the table. There was now a dance floor and as the music increased in volume, he lead her in a dance that proved just how happy she had made him, and they knew that from then on, there would be nothing that could bring them apart. 


	12. Epilogue

A year and a half passed all to quickly for all of the ronin and seasonal warriors. Aideen was due to go back to school in Ireland where she belonged and even though she was deeply in love with Dais, she had to agree that she belonged there.

In the year that had passed after it was agreed that it was for the best that for the time she lived in the Dynasty, Aideen gained a fine almost instinctive control over her Wildling state and could now change between states as she chose. No matter what though, for her it was always harder for her to change back from the Wildling state. Her love for Dais and her concern for her friends however spurred her to gain control of the wild side and she was successful. She still had the occasional startle that would inadvertently change her but she would recover quickly and reassert her own brand of control over the Wildling.

Everyone had accompanied her to the airport, Kayura and the others were teleported there and Mia and Cye drove the group from the Mortal realm for goodbyes. Aideen had cried the night before for several hours while being held by Dais who had gotten better at showing his feelings and comforting her in the last year.

She did not want to leave and the only thing that Dais could tell her that would be the truth was that if she were to ever need him. He would be there no matter what. Everyone was amazed at the tenderness that Dais was showing openly today as he walked Aideen to the terminal to get her boarding passes and luggage checked. In the last year, none of the earth bound ronin had ever seen this side of him though it was hinted at when they visited the dynasty. Aideen was happy with him and it was accepted, even though joked about, that Aideen had chosen Dais and that she would have no other.

Everyone said their goodbyes and they each gave her something to remember them by and then stepped back. As Dais was last to go he surprised them all by kissing her gently and with a shining eye, vowed that he would find a way to see her often.

"My little Wildling." He called her softly though all could hear. "I promise you that there will be a day when we will be together again. And when that day comes, nothing shall bring us apart again." He kissed her softly again and let her go reluctantly as she was called to board the plane. Everyone there could see just how much Aideen meant to Dais and it was obvious that he meant the same to her.

Dais seemed colder and more distant than ever since that day. His depression grew as he tried everything he could think of to see his beloved again, but only succeeded in contacting her through the mail and by phone when Mia let him visit. Aideen▓s letters meant everything to him and he was slightly more tolerable for a few days after receiving one of them.

It had been several months now since she left Japan and the Dynasty and the ronin and other seasonals were heartily tired of Dais in his funk. He wasn▓t eating and now on top of his listless wanderings he was extremely short tempered. Kayura and Sekhmet were treading on eggshells around him and Cale just avoided him all together.

The ronin finally held a conference of their own with Mia and it was agreed that they had to get Dais and Aideen back together or they would all go nuts. Rowen missed her sharp mind and quick intellect, just as Mia missed having another friend around to do things with. Ryo missed her athletic grace and ability to challenge him to soccer and actually beat him when White Blaze wasn▓t playing and White Blaze missed the slim girl that could understand him as well as Ryo did.

Cye kept up a constant stream of letters to her but most of it was for friendships sake and cooking ideas and Kento just missed having someone around to joke with. Sage missed his meditation student and only admitted to himself that she was perhaps the fastest learner that he had encountered in the ways of meditation. Everyone, Dynasty and mortal realm bound alike missed the young woman that had grown so much in the time she had stayed there in their own way. But none of this compared to Dais who felt that half of his heart and soul was missing, gone with that slip of a girl that had captured his heart and showed him his past lives.

Every evening in the Dynasty he would look out of his window and wonder if she were all right and if she even thought about him now that she was back in the mortal realm and home with her family. Something deep inside him told him that she missed him as much as he missed her but he could not bring himself to take a short trip to the Mortal realm to visit her. He would only have to return to the Dynasty with more memories of her and miss her more and more than he did already. 


End file.
